Geek Getting Hitched
by CatherineJosephineMarie007
Summary: A look inside Layla and Sheldon's wedding/baby Marianne. Takes place between chapter 24 and chapter 25 of The History Paradox, also by me. That one really should be read first, but I supopse it doesn't matter. Sheldon/OC FINALLY AN UPDATE!
1. Weddings for Dummies

**Geek Getting Hitched**

**CatherineJosephineMarie007**

**Thank you so much to jaa162, who asked for a short set of stories about the wedding or Marianne, and inspired my fickle muse. This set is about planning the wedding.**

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Leonard asked as Howard cleaned up the orange juice that had squirted out his nose.

"We're getting married." Sheldon replied from his Spot. "It only seems logical after an eighteen month courtship."

"You _proposed?_" Penny asked incredulously.

"We had a logical discussion about it after my mother let slip some not-so-subtle remarks at her last cocktail party," Layla answered. "We decided it was something we wanted to do."

"Where am I supposed to live?" Leonard asked.

"You have eight months to think about it." Sheldon replied promptly.

"Sheldon Cooper… married man." Leonard shook his head, "Who'd have thought he'd be the first?"

**SLSLSLSLSLSLSL**

"Layla, you can't be serious." Amelia scoffed at the small stack of glossy photos and computer printouts that were her plans for she and Sheldon's wedding.

"What's the problem, mother?" Layla sighed, resting her chin in her hand. She had known from the moment she and Sheldon announced their engagement that her mother would want to throw a wedding to make Princess Margaret proud. "It's not like we're a society couple who will have seven hundred guests in attendance. We'll be lucky if we even have a hundred, with Sheldon's social anxiety. So just stop trying to plan the wedding of the century!"

"Layla, you want to get married in some Presbyterian church in Pasadena, fly in a handful of Texans, and you refuse to have your reception at the Castle Green! What part of this am I supposed to be happy about?"

"The part where I'm finally going to be married and now you only have one disappointing daughter?" she asked, getting up and gathering her things. "You know what, Mom, why don't you just worry about finding a nice outfit and showing up on time? Penny and I will handle the rest."

**SLSLSLSLSLSL**

"So, you and me are planning a wedding?" Penny asked, looking like she might be ill.

"Yep," Layla sighed, flopping onto the blonde's sofa. "But don't worry; it won't be that big of a deal. Tiny wedding, itty bitty reception, nothing special."

"Okay, well, that's alright then… I guess… where do we start?"

"I guess with a venue," Layla replied, thumbing through '_Weddings for Dummies'_. "I wanted to have the service at the church where we went when Mrs Cooper was in town."

"Wait, a church service? Sheldon?" Penny giggled.

"It's purely to avoid infuriating his mother," she replied with a smile. "And I thought maybe you'd know somewhere we could hold the reception? A little pub or something?"

"I'll see what I can do. Now we're done with the boring stuff, can we work on getting you a dress?"


	2. The Emma

"Okay, what about… this one?" Penny held up yet another poufy ball gown.

"EEGN!" Layla made the 'buzzer' noise. "Never going to happen. We are not choosing anything that would make my mother proud."

"Okay, so no more crinoline," Penny grumbled to herself, searching the racks as the bride to be slouched in a beautiful gilt chair. "So then you don't want anything vaguely 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'."

"Nope," Layla laughed, "Nothing resembling a meringue."

"Excuse me," the blonde marched up to a snotty- looking sales lady. "My friend is getting married, and she wants a dress that's simple and NO ball gowns."

"Let me see what I can do," the lady said, urging Layla up onto one of the pedestals and sizing her up. "Did you have any silhouette in mind?"

"Uh…" Layla looked at Penny for help.

"I was thinking maybe a sheath dress, or a wider mermaid," the blonde stepped in casually. "Layla's pretty simple fashion wise, so don't give her anything too flashy."

"And who are you?" the posh lady inquired.

"She's my maid of honour," Layla said.

"I'll go pull a few gowns." When she clip-clopped off in her shiny black heels, Layla turned to her friend.

"Where did THAT come from?" she hissed in amazement. "How do you know so much about wedding gowns?"

"Oh, I was reading some of those magazines your Mom gave you, and they were pretty helpful. And I've been planning my own wedding since I was about six."

"Right," the brunette laughed. "So, what did you ask for?"

"Straight gowns and the ones that pull in at the knee; nothing crazy like I would want if I was the one getting married."

"You would put Celine Dion to shame, Penny, I'm sure."

"Am… am I really going to be your maid of honour?"

"You bet, honey!" Layla replied. The blonde squeaked and pulled her friend into a painfully tight embrace.

"Thank youuu!"

"Here we are," the sales lady interrupted, dragging several dresses on hangers. "Now, we have several bodice styles here, since you're quite slim, Miss—"

"Nicholas," Layla replied.

"Soon to be Cooper!" Penny squealed, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Oh, Penny!" Layla buried her face in her hands.

"Congratulations," the woman smiled politely. "I'm Leslie. Would you like the strapless gowns first?"

"Why not?" she asked, stepping reluctantly behind the curtained-off dressing room in their corner of the shop.

Layla, Penny, and Leslie spent a good three hours trying on various gowns with spaghetti straps, thick straps, sleeves, halters, and without straps. Finally, Layla found a designer she liked; Claire Pettibone. Her Spirit of the Night collection was in the shop in its entirety, so she tried on several of them before she found one that took her breath away.

"This is the 'Emma'," Leslie told them, handing Layla back onto the pedestal and straightening the skirt so that the filmy fabric draped gracefully over her legs and the bottom of the stool.

"I think this is the one." Layla nodded. The gown was simple, with an empire waist, and a silk floral bodice that stopped with a gold ribbon just beneath her breasts. The entire skirt was loose and flowing white chiffon, and it made her feel so beautiful…

"It's gorgeous," Penny smiled. "You'll blow Sheldon's socks off."

"Thanks." She turned back to the mirror and took a deep breath. "Yeah—this is it."

**The Emma by Claire Pettibone can be viewed online, just by googling. I chose it because it's sort of like a dress from 'Pride and Prejudice', it's very graceful, and it would look great on someone tall, as I've described Layla to be. The next chapter will be the bridal shower. Please review, you'll feed my fluff monster, Wendell!**


	3. The Wedding Shower

**Six Months Later**

Layla cringed as she entered Penny's apartment; everything was set up, from the streamers to the pastel tissue paper flowers.

"You're really going for the biggest stereotypes here, aren't you, Penny?" She asked. "It's like an eighties movie prom in here."

"Yeah I know, isn't it great?" Penny laughed, setting a punch bowl on her kitchen table. "Sheldon cleaned yesterday while I was on the dinner shift, and I hung everything this morning."

"It's… interesting." Layla said. "Who's coming to this thing again?"

"Your sisters, your nieces, your Mum, some of the professors from your department, and a couple of the waitresses you've gotten to know from the restaurant." Penny shrugged. "We're having lunch and cocktails and then you'll open presents, and we'll get on with our lives. Is Sheldon having a bachelor night?"

"I doubt it." She smiled. "It's not exactly his style; but I heard Howard plotting to take him out the Saturday before the wedding, so we'll see."

Penny giggled, picturing Sheldon Cooper in a strip club. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Layla replied, stacking martini glasses on the kitchen island.

"Have you and Sheldon… you know… done… stuff?"

"I can only assume you mean have we had sex?"

"Yeah, I just can't say it, let alone picture it," Penny shuddered.

"We've done things, yes, but we haven't had sex. He's not ready, and frankly, Mary Cooper seems to be clairvoyant."

"So he's seen you naked?" the blonde was having a hard time picturing anyone with Sheldon Cooper in the bed with his Star Wars sheets.

"Yeah, of course. Do you remember the night Sheldon asked over dinner if we could spend the night at my place?"

"Hell yes—I almost had to give Raj the Heimlich."

"Well, that night, we were lying in bed reading, and Sheldon reached over and held my hand. You know he doesn't hold hands, so I was so shocked I just looked up and stared at him." A blush rose on her chest and cheeks as she continued. "Then he pulled a Sheldon and asked me whether we should be engaging in coitus at this particular juncture in our relationship."

"Of course he did," Penny rolled her eyes. "So that's when you did it?"

"No, that was the night we moved on to groping," Layla giggled. "But then Sheldon decided we should spend one night together a week, after the scheduled takeout slash movie marathons, to gradually work up to the home run." She shrugged. "It's my fault for explaining the base system to him."

"So you haven't done it, but you're almost there?"

"Pretty much. I think it's sweet that, as intelligent as he is, he still upholds the ideals his mother taught him. It's gentlemanly."

"You truly are the only one for Sheldon," Penny sighed, getting up to answer the knock that had just sounded at her door.

"Hey Penny," Emily grinned, walking into the apartment. Isabel made a beeline for Layla, and their newest addition, Sara, wobbled after her big sister.

"Hey Emily," Penny replied, hugging the other blonde. "Come on in."

"Thanks; Mom's on her way," she said to Layla.

"Fabulous." Layla sighed. She lifted Isabel and Sara onto her lap and squeezed them round their middles. "How are you girls?"

"Good. Why are we here?" Isabel asked.

"Why?" Sara repeated.

"Well, because Sheldon and I are getting married, and we're going to have lunch and open some presents."

"Are the presents all for you?"

"Afraid so," Layla said. "Would you like t help me open them?"

"Yay!" Sara giggled.

"Okay, that was three hours of horror," Layla sighed, flopping down on the sofa. "I can't believe my mother."

"I almost lost it when she refused to come to the rehearsal dinner," Penny agreed. "But I haven't given you my present yet,"

"Penny, you didn't have to do that,"

"I know, but I wanted to." The blonde shrugged, going to her bedroom and coming back with a flat white box.

Layla opened it and began to laugh; inside was a white lace nightie. It looked like it went down to mid thigh, and surprisingly, wasn't too skimpy. "Oh, Penny!"

"What? I figured you'd need something for the wedding night." Penny giggled. "Promise to hide it until you're safely on the honeymoon?"

"I promise." She replied, giving her the Vulcan salute. "There's no way we'll be trying this out with Leonard in the next room."

"Good call."


	4. Texas

A week later, Layla and Sheldon rode the Amtrak to Texas to collect his family for the wedding. Layla was nearly beside herself by the time they got to Galveston; it was the first time she was going to meet Meemaw.

Of course Penny and the boys had all told her stories of the mystical lady who had dubbed her fiancé 'Moon-pie', but this was important; she knew how much Sheldon loved his grandmother, and how much her advice meant to him. What if Meemaw didn't like her?

She was pacing the tiny compartment as they approached the station, Sheldon watching her worriedly. Eventually he stood up and put himself in her path.

"Would this be an appropriate time to offer some sort of consolation?" he asked.

Layla sighed gratefully. At least Sheldon was good at following instructions. "Yes,"

"Then I ask you not to worry, and to stop pacing; you're making me nervous." He said. "I feel perfectly comfortable assuring you that the odds of my family being worse than your mother are slim."

She laughed, finally sitting down and taking a breath. "Thanks Sheldon; that does actually make me feel better."

"Really?" her fiancé asked, sitting beside her. "I'm on a roll."

When they exited the platform, Sheldon looked around for his sister. Finally, he pointed with the hand holding his bag, and led her across the station toward several wooden benches.

"Shelly!" a female voice squealed loudly. Layla had to bite back a laugh as a gorgeous woman hurried toward them and enveloped Sheldon in a hug.

"You must be Missy," Layla giggled when the taller woman pulled away.

"And you must be Layla." Missy gave her the once over. "Mama was right about one thing; you are pretty."

"Thank you. So are you."

"Betcha never thought I would be, being a twin to this one," she winked.

"Missy and I are fraternal twins, they come from two separate eggs; they are no more alike than any other siblings." Sheldon sighed.

Layla laughed again. "Come on Sheldon,"

Missy led them over to where a young man was lounging in the deep wooden bench. When he caught sight of Layla, he stood up, stretching his long legs. He was even taller than Sheldon, if that was possible, and he had a broad chest.

"Well hello there," he smiled, his accent twanging pleasantly. "How did my baby brother manage to catch something as beautiful as you?"

"Hello Donny," Sheldon said flatly.

"Hey Sheldon," Donny returned.

"I think it would be safe to say I caught him." Layla smiled, threading her hand around Sheldon's upper arm and stepping a little closer. "I'm Layla Nicholas."

"Donny Cooper, ma'am." Her fiancé's brother replied. The four of them left the train station and climbed into Donny's truck. Sheldon, as usual, claimed shotgun, so the girls got to sit together in the back seat and look over Layla's plans for the wedding.

"So where are the bridesmaids' dresses?" Missy asked, thumbing through the binder Penny had put together with the help of Emily and Isabelle.

"I'm glad you asked," Layla replied. "My younger sister met the guys, and she doesn't want to be a bridesmaid anymore. I think Howard freaked her out."

"She certainly wouldn't be the first." Sheldon piped up from the front seat.

"Exactly. So, I was wondering if maybe you'd be a bridesmaid."

"Really?" Missy squealed, hugging her future sister in law on a whim "Of course! I'd love to!"

"Oh good," she sighed. "Then to answer your question, these are the dresses."

"Oh, pretty! Has Shelly seen them yet?"

"No, he has not!" Sheldon cried. "I have been very clear: I wish to be completely surprised."

"Is that the genius way of saying Sheldon's not helping?" Donny asked.

"I think so, though Sheldon disagrees." Layla laughed. "But he has reserved the right to veto any caterers."

They drove away from the main drag of Galveston, and the roads were more likely dirt than paved. Finally, Donny pulled up in front of a small two story house. The siding was green, and there were bright flowers in the front garden.

"This is lovely, Sheldon," Layla smiled as he helped her out of the back seat.

"Mom likes it," he shrugged, offering his arm. He'd gotten used to small amount of touching in public, and Layla was happy enough with what he'd acquiesced to so far. She wasn't about to push for the shows Penny and her male friends put on in the hallway, and Sheldon holding her hand did more for her than anything she'd ever experienced with anyone else.

"Layla! Shelly!" Mary Cooper cried happily, coming out the front door at a run to hug them both.

"Um, hi Mrs Cooper," Layla gasped around the other woman's embrace.

"Oh honey, you got my Sheldon to settle down—you get to call me Mary." She winked. "Shelly, you go on in; I need to prep your fiancée." Sheldon gave them both a suspicious look before leaving them alone. "So," Mary threaded her arm through Layla's and directed them to the door. "Are you nervous?"

Layla looked at her soon to be mother in law and sighed, "Terrified. "

"Meemaw's been looking forward to meeting you for weeks. She wants to know what you did to keep Sheldon quiet during church."

"Okay, let's do this." The brunette nodded resolutely and let Mary enter before her.

"Meemaw," Sheldon said as she entered the living room, "This is Layla Nicholas."

A tall, well dressed woman stood beside her fiancé, looking at her with Sheldon's piercing blue eyes. Her grey hair was tied back into a bun, and glasses hung from a chain around her neck.

"So," she said, "You want to marry my Moon-pie?"

"Yes ma'am," she replied, looking to Sheldon. He gave her a brisk nod.

The lady smiled and took her hand. "My Moon-pie is special, you understand?"

"Yes ma'am, I definitely understand." Layla winked at Sheldon, whose ears went a little pink.

"Good." Meemaw looked between her grandson and the newcomer, then smiled a little wider. "Then welcome to Texas."


	5. Give Her a Story

"Hi Leonard!"

Leonard was shocked; he hadn't seen Alisha since she and Penny had the 'chick fight' in the hallway. She had knocked on his door in her T'Pol tight jeans and smiled like she visited every morning.

"Uh, hi, Alisha. How are you?"

"Great thanks! I actually was just wondering if you had any boxes lying around."

"Um, no, I don't think so—are you moving?"

"Yeah, I got a role on a TV show a while ago, and we just signed a deal with CBS!"

"Oh, well, congratulations." Leonard smiled; he knew exactly where he was moving when Sheldon and Layla got married and moved into his apartment.

**SLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSL**

"So, Moon-pie, you'll be wanting this," Meemaw said quietly that evening. Donny and Missy had gone to their respective homes, and Mary had taken Layla upstairs to show her the guest room. Sheldon looked at his beloved Meemaw.

"What is that?" he asked, looking at the little black box she was offering him.

"I noticed your girl didn't have a ring."

"No; we just came to a mutual decision about getting married—it wasn't romantic." He said the world like it was a disease.

"Sheldon Lee Cooper," the withered woman next to him said sharply. "That young lady is smitten with you, I hope you know that. And I know neither of you are romantic in the old fashioned way, but she deserves a story to tell all those great grand babies you're going to give me."

Sheldon gulped. "Uh, Meemaw, I don't know how many—"

"I'm just teasing you, Moon-pie. But she should have a story. Every woman needs at least one perfect moment to remember when she's my age." She offered him the box again. "This is the very first thing your Papa ever gave me. It'll match whatever wedding rings you pick for the ceremony. Now you go up there, young man, and give that lovely girl a story."

He took the box gingerly, looking inside. The ring was modest but beautiful, a single pearl atop a slender gold band. The pearl shone in the overhead light from the kitchen. He smiled a little and pecked his grandmother on the cheek.

"Thank you, Meemaw."

**SLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSL**

Layla was upstairs, setting the towels Mary had given her for the next morning on the dresser and opening her suitcase. She'd let Sheldon help her pack, since she knew how much messy luggage bugged him, but she drew the line at electronic tagging. Engaged or not, she was not about to let Sheldon put tracking devices on her panties. That was that.

She'd just opened up her little toiletries bag when Sheldon's signature knock came at the door.

"Layla."

"Come in, Sheldon," she laughed, turning to face him. He came in and closed the door. He simply looked at her for a moment, making her eyebrows raise ever so slightly. "What's going on, sweetie?"

"Meemaw likes you." He said, a pleased little smile on his face.

"I'm so glad," she sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I like her too, very much. I know how much she means to you, and I'm glad we get along."

"So am I."

"Am I right in thinking it would have been a deal breaker between us had she not liked me?"

"We'll never have to know; she does like you, so there's no point in useless conjecture." Sheldon said stoically, but she knew him better than that—she could see the tips of his ears turning pink.

"Did you come to tuck me in?" Layla asked.

"Uh, no, I came to give you something." He sat next to her on the bed and took the box out of his pocket. "Meemaw berated me for not making a proper engaged woman out of you before now." He explained, opening the lid and reaching out to take her hand. "And she also said I should have asked you properly. She's my authority on such things, aside from Penny. So, Layla Marie Nicholas, will you please marry me?"

Layla smiled, squeezing his hand before replying, "Yes, of course I'll marry you." She leaned in and kissed him quickly, then watched him slide the ring on her finger. "Oh, Sheldon, it's beautiful."

"It was the first gift my Papa ever gave to Meemaw."

"It has a story," she grinned, and Sheldon made a mental note to thank his grandmother profusely for her advice. "What was your Papa like?" she asked, lying back on the pillows still holding his hand.

"He was big," Sheldon replied. "He was really tall, but had a big personality too." Layla smiled.

"Stay with me until I fall asleep?" she asked, snaking her legs under the covers and patting the space next to her. "You can tell me more about your family."

He looked nervously toward the door for a moment before getting up and opening it a crack. Turning around, satisfied, he sat on the other side of the bed and Layla rested her head on his shoulder, idly twirling her engagement ring.

"My grandparents were married for thirty-nine years," he began, not even stopping to gasp when her fingers intertwined with his. He kept his promise, staying until she could barely keep her eyes open and then turning off the lamp, leaving quietly for his own room.

**SLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLS**

The entire Cooper family came with Layla and Sheldon back to Pasadena for the wedding. Mary and Missy told Layla all the 'Shelly' stories, despite the physicist's pleas for them to shut up. But Layla just laughed and held his hand under the table.

"Are you alright?" she asked him quietly, cornering him on his way to bed.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Sheldon could tell his tic was acting up, but sometimes Layla let him have his way and ignored the obvious lie. Now was not one of those times.

"Sheldon," she said sternly, looking at him over her glasses. "Is it all the stories?"

"They don't exactly paint me in a favourable light," he grumbled.

"Oh, honey," she said softly. "Do you really think that your family could make me love you any less? I know they're embarrassing you, but I think the story about yellow cake uranium is cute. And you've heard worst things from my mother."

"Yes, I suppose I have. But… they always do this."

"Sheldon," Layla scolded. "It's a family's job to embarrass us. Emily told you all the unfortunate stories you could handle months ago when we got engaged."

"I recall." Sheldon looked very uncomfortable. "You've never said that to me before."

"What?" Layla sensed a high-speed rant coming on.

"What I believe Penny refers to as 'the L word'."

"Oh," she laughed in relief. "Sheldon, do you remember when we met, and you and the guys came to see one of my lectures?" he nodded and she continued, "Do you remember when I said I'd never push you to divulge something you weren't ready to talk about?" he nodded again. "Well, I meant it. I figured one day it would just…come out. When you were good and ready. But I don't expect you to reciprocate—I mean hell, you're marrying me; I figured the love part just went unsaid."

"Well, yes, I suppose it does. But one thing I have learned from mine and Penny's laundry nights is that it is important when a girl tells you she loves you." After a tense moment of thought on Sheldon's part, he took Layla's hand and kissed her on the cheek. "I love you Layla."

"I'm very glad. I love you too." She grinned, kissing his lips quickly. She had just brushed her teeth; he could taste the mint on her tongue. Since they'd decided to get married and satisfy his mother's whim that they not live in sin, Sheldon had been experimenting with what he'd previously called 'taking liberties'. Thus, the kiss lengthened as Layla wound her arms around his neck and Sheldon's thumb rubbed the skin just below her top. Technically they were obstructing the flow of traffic from the dining car, but thankfully no one saw fit to leave and disturb them.

Meemaw had come out of her car to see where the kids had got off to, and saw the end of their talk, and their kiss. She smiled, shaking her head fondly. _Nothing like young love,_ she thought to herself. _Nothing at all._

**SLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLS**

Once they'd arrived in Pasadena, the Coopers checked into their hotel and everyone went to The Cheesecake Factory to meet the boys. It was Tuesday, after all. The guys met Mary with hugs all around, and Missy grinned at them, but winked at Raj. The mute boy grinned and waved.

Leonard, Howard, Penny and Raj met Meemaw with a mixture of excitement and fearful respect. But the matriarch of the Coopers simply smiled at all of them and sat in the chair Sheldon held for her, and eventually everyone settled back in to normal. Donny looked a little overwhelmed by the geek potential of the group, so Penny stood beside him for a little while, stowing her notepad in her apron.

"Don't worry," she whispered. "You get used to it after a while."

Donny nodded and gave her his most charming smile. "Thank you, ma'am."

"Hi boys," Bernadette smiled, kissing Howard's cheek and moving around the table to hand Raj a grasshopper. "Drink this slowly, Raj."

Raj nodded from his place beside Missy. Everyone started asking about the trip to Texas and teasing Sheldon about trains. Penny and Bernadette cooed over Layla's engagement ring. The entire group had a great time, and not even Sheldon's specificity caused a stir.

**SLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSL**

A few days later, Sheldon was almost pushed out of Layla's apartment by Emily, Penny, Missy and Bernadette.

"I'm still not sure I understand the social convention that dictates I leave my fiancée's side the evening before the wedding to allow her to gossip and watch 'chick flicks'." He groused once he was over the threshold.

"Sheldon, I've explained the bachelorette party to you like three times!" Penny cried. "It's just a female bonding ritual." Yeah, she may have asked Leonard for help in explaining it in Sheldon-ese.

"Alright. Am I at least allowed to say goodnight to the bride?"

"Yes, you may," Layla replied from behind the crowd at the door. She parted the girls so she could walk through and stopped in front of Sheldon. "Do you really think I'm going to let you four watch?" she asked incredulously. "Back inside, all of you." After a few groans and a wink from Missy, Layla's front door shut and they were alone in the hall. "I know you don't like this any more than I do, but it is customary. Besides, you and the boys have things planned for tonight, don't you?"

"It's HALO night," he replied.

"I know honey, but if Donny and the boys want to take you out on your last night as a single man, please do me a favour and let them?"

"Why?"

"Because, it's the nice thing to do. Besides, tomorrow is Thursday and not the third Thursday of the month, and you're not going to be going to Giacomo's. So as long as the weekly schedule is messed up anyway, why not allow your brother and your friends to celebrate with you?" she knew she was pushing it, but she kind of felt bad for Donny, having to go around with the 'Nerd Herd' while the girls did their nails and watched Drew Barrymore movies. Sheldon sighed, then seemed to give in.

"Very well, I suppose it isn't too much to ask."

"Thank you," she hugged him tightly. "And I promise in return I will let you schedule the honeymoon. I know we both have jobs so it won't be happening right after the wedding, but we _will _be having one, and you can structure it."

"That is an acceptable compromise,"

"Good. Now get over here and kiss me goodbye already." Layla wound her arms around his neck as they kissed, ignoring the impassioned 'awe' that Missy issued through the door. "You sister is watching us through the peephole." She whispered against his mouth.

"She never was any good at minding her own business." Sheldon replied as they pulled away from each other. "Have fun."

"You too." She blew him a kiss then called, "I'm opening the door—I do not accept any responsibility if I break your nose upon doing so, Missy."

**A/N: Okay, so the next chapter will be the wedding, and then a little fast forward to the honeymoon. I have my own ideas about where they might go, but if you've got any, please let me know! I kind of picture Meemaw as like Bea Arthur, but with Cloris Leachman's spunk. Layla's engagement ring is based on a true story; my Papa gave my Nana a pearl ring too, and it was the first present he ever got her. Thanks again to reviews, you guys rock! CJM007**


	6. KungPao Chicken at Castle Green

**FINALLY! I'm so so so so sorry, life got in the way, and exams and junk. Then, of course, I don't have internet at my Mum's house (NO, I'm not kidding :O) Anyway, here it is! I decided not to do a Wedding Night Scene, so this ends with a dinner at Castle Green. Everything I wrote about that place is fictional, but if you'd like to give me funds to go first hand, it would be appreciated.**

**It's been a long time, since I started this fic before we knew Bernadette was going to work out, so I just slipped her in there now. Hope you don't mind.**

**Enjoy, and I hope you all haven't forgotten about this little fic: please review!**

Surprisingly, the thought of standing up in front of forty people to exchange his vows with Layla scared him far more than the act of actually exchanging the vows. Sheldon made it to the church an entire hour early, as his schedule intended, and he, Leonard, Howard, and Raj sat in the back room behind the sanctuary. Actually, the boys sat, and Sheldon paced. How was he supposed to stand up in front of all these people and speak? And breathe? And not pass out?

"Hey buddy," Leonard asked, clapping his roommate on the shoulder. "How you holding up?"

"I am experiencing some disconcerting respiratory symptoms," Sheldon replied. "Perhaps I should be examined by a doctor."

"Sheldon, you're just nervous—don't worry about it. If it'll make you feel better I'll go see if Stephanie is here yet."

"Please."

Leonard left their little room and went through a heavy wooden door that opened into the altar. He passed the minister with a nod, approaching the third pew where Stephanie sat.

"Hey Stephanie," he said, fidgeting with his collar. He was glad that Sheldon had wanted to invite her, but she looked very pretty and he could feel himself blushing.

"Oh hi Leonard," she smiled. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, Sheldon's just a little nervous—do you think you could come check him for us? He's in panic mode."

Stephanie laughed, "Sure, lead the way." The two of them left the main church and walked in on Sheldon pacing again. "Hey Sheldon." She smiled.

"Oh, hello Dr Stephanie." He replied, not stopping. "I feel I may be having a panic attack. What do you suggest?"

"Well, sitting down for a start," she smiled kindly. Reluctantly, Sheldon followed her advice. Stephanie took his pulse. "You're fine, I'd say just pre-wedding jitters. You'll feel better once you're out there and you find out it isn't as bad as you thought."

"Well, you're the doctor," he sighed in the same way as when Stephanie and Leonard were dating. "How much time, Leonard?"

"Fifteen minutes," his friend replied succinctly. This day had been planned down to the minute for Sheldon's benefit.

"Alright; perhaps if you could distract me?"

"Give me the proposal story," Stephanie requested. Sheldon looked at her for a moment before looking to Leonard and the boys.

"Meemaw was right you know; women love stories." He said in surprise. "We didn't really have a proposal, Stephanie, but a few weeks ago my Meemaw gave me the ring Papa gave her, and I asked again properly. Layla liked that the ring had a story also."

"Yes, I can imagine she did. Leonard told me she teaches history, so it makes sense." Stephanie looked at her ex and he nodded. "Okay, Sheldon, you can go wait at the altar now."

Howard and Raj exited before him and waited at the door. Leonard, hand still on Sheldon's shoulder, followed them.

"Thank you, Dr Stephanie," Sheldon nodded. The doctor grinned and went back to her seat. The four members of 4A's nerd herd stood side by side next to the Mary Cooper-approved minister and waited for Layla.

Punctually at 8:15, the church doors opened and Emily began to make her way down the aisle. The music began from the organ behind them, and Sheldon's soon to be sister in law made her way toward them.

Layla and Penny had decided on strapless gold dresses, and they carried bouquets of crocuses, daffodils, and snowdrops. After Emily came Missy, who winked at him before taking her place on the other side of the altar. Finally, Penny started down the aisle, her grin proud and excited all at the same time. Before passing him, she grabbed his hand and whispered,

"You'll be speechless."

"I should certainly hope not; how am I to recite my vows otherwise?"

His neighbour rolled her eyes and moved to stand next to the other two girls. Then, finally, the piano concerto he'd chosen began to play and Layla came down the aisle alone. Since Mr Nicholas was unable to escort his daughter down the aisle, Layla had refused the offers of anyone else; she said there was no replacement for her father.

She smiled at Sheldon. Her long hair was gently curled and bangs held out of her eyes by a delicate gold circlet. The only jewellery she wore were the tiny gold fleur-de-lis earrings Meemaw loaned her and her engagement ring, which was on her right hand until after the ceremony. Her bouquet was larger than the bridesmaids' and had snowdrops falling over onto her fingers. She met him at the altar.

"Ready?" she whispered.

"Of course." He replied smugly.

"Dearly beloved," the minister began proudly. "We are gathered here in the sight of god and this congregation—" Layla met Sheldon's gaze and did little to hide her smirk—"To join Sheldon Lee Cooper and Layla Marie Nicholas in the bond of holy matrimony; which is an honourable estate, created by the Lord in the time of man's innocence for several reasons."

As the minister continued on, Layla switched her gaze to the front pew; Mary Cooper was crying already, while her father and Meemaw looked on proudly. Behind Sheldon's shoulder, Howard gave her a thumbs up.

"Sheldon, do you take Layla as your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, from this day forward, till death parts you?"

"I do." Sheldon nodded succinctly. Layla raised one brow at him; she definitely thought this would have been harder for him.

"Layla, do you take Sheldon as your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, from this day forward, till death parts you?"

"I do." Layla smiled.

"Do we have the rings?" the priest asked.

Leonard, who had been given one job by a VERY paranoid Sheldon, pulled the gold bands out of his vest pocket and passing them to the minister.

"Layla, place this ring on Sheldon's finger as a symbol of your love."

Layla complied with a pleased little grin. "Sheldon, place this ring on Layla's finger as a symbol of your bond."

Sheldon hesitated for a minute, as though unsure of how to do it, but in the end followed Layla's example and slid the ring on as gently as he could. Layla held in a giggle with great difficulty.

"By the power vested in my by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Sheldon and Layla smiled at each other, then she stepped into his personal space and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

Everyone erupted into wild applause, and Sheldon took his wife's hand and escorted her to the back of the church.

"We did it!" Layla cried happily, wrapping her arms around Sheldon's neck. "I can't believe this."

"Seeing as I proposed to you and you said yes, and then we planned a wedding, I have a hard time believing that you can't believe it." Sheldon replied, obviously confused.

"No," Layla laughed. "I just can't believe you went through with it."

"I gave you my word that I wouldn't make a scene: refusing to marry you would constitute a scene, would it not?"

"Yes, yes it would." She replied, smiling at him fondly.

"There they are," Mrs Cooper cooed, coming out of the sanctuary to embrace them both tightly. "Doctor and Mrs Sheldon Cooper!"

"Mother, Layla possesses a doctorate as well," Sheldon said, jumping into lecture mode. "So technically we are Doctor and Doctor Cooper."

"That doesn't matter today, Shelly, because you're finally married! Oh, thank the lord!"

Sheldon, Layla, and their friends, who had followed the Coopers out of the chapel, exchanged a look.

"So, where are we going now?" Leonard asked.

Penny smiled. "We're going to this fabulous country club that Layla's parents belong to. Layla didn't want to have a reception there, but I always wanted to see inside of the Castle Green, so I made her accept."

"And Sheldon and I made a visit there just a few weeks ago, and he approved the kitchen," Layla added.

The reception was small and simple; since they'd gotten married at sunset, there was a dessert bar, complete with a chocolate fountain at the request of Howard, who insisted it was sexy. Penny, Emily, Missy, Stephanie, Bernadette, Henry, Layla and the boys sat in a private dining room off the formal ballroom. After a substantial tantrum and a call to the place with the fraudulent orange duck, they were able to have Friday night Chinese food after all.

"This is what you do every Friday?" Henry asked as he shovelled some more mushu pork onto his plate and passed it on to Leonard.

"Well, usually we're at home and usually we're also playing vintage video games, but yes." Sheldon nodded, obviously proud of his seven day fodd/activity schedule.

"What will you do when you have kids?" Emily whispered Layla.

"I assume Layla will be breastfeeding, so I see no reason why we should not be able to partake in the routine as parents, as long as she does not consume alcohol, turnip or caffeine." Sheldon answered for her.

Emily looked at her sister and Layla shrugged, "Vulcan hearing."

"Well, babies grow very quickly, and they do need _real_ food, not just pad Thai and orange duck." Emily retorted gently, knowing how likely Sheldon was to balk at any change in routine.

Sheldon didn't look particularly worried, but his new wife could tell he was counting menstrual cycles in his head. Apparently they wouldn't be having babies anytime soon.

"I think we'll wait for a while, Em," Layla spoke up to save Sheldon's mood. "Not everyone wants a honeymoon baby."

"Hey," Henry piped up, "We didn't either, but we got a genius out of it, so who are we to argue?"


	7. The Test With One Question

**This chapter takes place about FOUR YEARS after the last one. I figured it was best not to do a sex scene or anything, but needless to say they went to Switzerland to see the Hadron Collider, and I'd imagine he and Layla are doing just fine bed-wise.**

**This is beginning of Daddy!Sheldon **

**Five Weeks:**

__Sheldon had to stop himself from leaving the apartment at a dead run that morning after he'd heard his wife being sick in the bathroom.

"Are you alright Layla?" he called through the door.

"I'm fine, dear," her weak voice responded. "But would you call Barry and tell him to cancel my classes?"

"Of course," he replied, doing that errand before he'd dashed across the hall (before eleven AM) to warn Penny, then up the stairs to demand bathroom privileges and a ride to work from Leonard. When he came back down to check on her once more before they left, she was out of the bathroom and sitting in the kitchen with Penny. The blonde was nursing a massive cup of coffee (where did she find mugs that big?) and Layla was sitting, chin in hand, with a bottle of water before her. Dahlia, who had lived with Penny since Layla had moved apartments, sat on the floor at their feet on a length of plastic sheeting.

"I disinfected thoroughly and brushed my teeth," she said before he could ask. She must have noticed his reluctance to enter their home, although he had tried his best to hide it. He wasn't a very good actor, or so his wife and friends told him.

"Good." He said. "It's oatmeal day."

"Mm hm." Layla grumbled. "None for me, but you knock yourself out."

**Seven Weeks:**

_Knock knock knock_

"Penny."

_Knock knock knock_

"Penny."

_Knock knock knock_

"Penny."

Penny opened the door to Layla with a raised eyebrow.

"Married couples _do_ start to act alike." She said.

"Yeah…" Layla blushed. "Sorry."

Since it was after eleven AM, she wasn't running the risk of being punched in the throat (though she suspected that rule was only for the boys). Penny stepped back to let her in, and they settled on the sofa.

"What do you need?" Penny asked.

"I'm home from work again today, but I need a favour."

"Sure."

"I need you to go to the pharmacy and get something for me."

"I'm assuming that since you could buy tampons your damn self, it's something else."

"Um… yeah. Actually, you'd better get some of those too, I don't want Sheldon realising I'm out of them and finding out before I've had a chance to tell him."

Penny raised both brows and looked at her suspiciously. "Oh?"

"I haven't had a period in seven weeks." Layla almost whispered.

Suddenly she was pounced on by five feet and seven inches of squealing blonde Nebraskan, and fell back against the arm of the sofa.

"OHMYGOD! You're PREGNANT! OHMYGOD! Oh, who should we tell first?"

"How about you don't tell ANYONE until you've gone to the pharmacy and bought me a pregnancy test?" Layla replied, fighting her ecstatic friend back to her side of the couch.

"Okay, I promise, but OHMYGOD. I'll go right now." She was half way out the door before she turned on her heel and asked, "Wait a minute, why and I going to the pharmacy?"

"Because—" Layla cut herself off by letting out a little moan and running to Penny's bathroom. The sound of vomiting could be heard, and Penny's eyes widened.

"Oh, THAT'S why I'm going."

Thankfully she didn't see anyone she knew at the pharmacy, and made it back to her place inside of thirty minutes. Layla had locked up her apartment, so she headed across the hall.

"Here, go pee," Penny demanded, tossing the box to the brunette who was sitting in her husband's Spot on the sofa. "I'm making more coffee."

"Peeing," Layla sighed, getting up and heading for the bathroom. About ten minutes later she came out and flopped into the armchair. "Fifteen minutes."

Penny sat in Sheldon's Spot, and Layla paced behind the sofa. After ten minutes she stalked to the bathroom and paced in there. The blonde followed her.

"It isn't going to turn blue just because you stare at it."

"You don't know that," Layla replied.

"Maybe I don't, but you do." Penny retorted.

"Yeah okay," Layla sighed. She pushed off from the sink and began pacing again. After a little while, Penny spoke again.

"It's time."

Layla broke her stride and rounded on the vanity. "I can't look. You do it."

"Sure," the blonde shrugged. "I've had a few of these moments in the past." She jumped up on the counter and studied the test. "But none of mine were positive. Like this one."

"Positive?" Layla breathed. All of her nervous energy seemed to leave her and she sunk down onto the side of the tub. "Oh my god."

**SLSLSLSLSLSLSLS**

"Layla?" Sheldon called when he came home that night. The television was on and there was a blanket scrunched up on the sofa, but his wife was nowhere to be seen. Then he heard the toilet flush and the bathroom door open.

"Still sick?" he asked worriedly, side stepping toward her reluctantly. Layla's long brown hair was tied up in a messy knot and she was wearing a pair of black cotton pants and his Green Lantern t-shirt. Usually he didn't like it when she did that, but she was pale and her skin was waxy, so he managed to keep his mouth shut.

"Yes, but… it isn't contagious, I promise." She gestured over to the sofa. "We need to sit."

"What do you mean it's not contagious? You've been vomiting for weeks." Sheldon looked adorably confused, but sat in his Spot nonetheless.

"I… I need to talk to you about something."

"Surely you're not seriously ill?" he was nervous, she could tell, and he kept talking. "Because frequent vomiting could be a sign of some sort of serious stomach condition, or perhaps an inflammation of the sphincter. We should call Dr. Stephanie—"

"No," Layla said a little louder to get him to stop. "I'm going to need a doctor, but not an ER surgeon. I have something very important to tell you."

Thankfully, her husband stayed silent, and she was able to continue. "I'm pregnant."

**So how do you see Sheldon reacting to this news? I have a couple scenarios. One is where he gets VERY vocal, ala Ross' reaction in Friends, or he could run for Penny, or he could have to call Leonard's mum, or his own, I suppose. Or he could just go catatonic and need Thai food to break him out of it. Please review or PM with your opinion, and I'll try to take them into account!**


	8. Spreading the News

**Thank you so much for the reviews and PMs, you guys ROCK!**

**Eight Weeks Continued:**

For a full three minutes, Layla was afraid she'd broken Sheldon; he sat in front of her staring uncomprehendingly at a spot over her right shoulder. Once she was sure he wasn't going to say anything without a nudge, she laid one hand on his knee.

"Sheldon, honey, use your words." She urged.

"I… we were careful though," he protested, sounding like a child who'd been caught even though he'd employed a look out.

"I know, but I don't have to tell you that no birth control is one hundred percent effective. And at least this didn't happen on our wedding night." Layla tried to make him feel better, but he just turned on her with panicked eyes.

"But what are we going to do?"

"Well, we've got good jobs, great friends and an extra bedroom, I think we're better prepared than most people," she smiled. "Please don't worry, Sheldon; we'll be fine. Now, we'd better call your mother, don't you think?"

"Is it the proper time to do such a thing?"

"Well, we could wait until twelve weeks, which is the end of the first trimester. It's safer."

"Safer?"

"In case of…miscarriage." Layla replied, unconsciously touching her belly. Technically, there wasn't any belly right now, but that would soon change.

Sheldon leaned forward and took his laptop out of his bag. "Well, surely there's something we can do about that." He said resolutely.

"About miscarriage?"

"Of course. There has to be some regimen of foods or rest or vitamins that would reduce the risk of miscarriage. We will find and employ it." He wasn't looking at her anymore, rather studying the screen as he typed furiously.

"Sheldon, every regimen in the world can't stop a miscarriage if nature takes its course."

"Did you know our baby is only the size of a grape?" Sheldon said, not paying attention to her. "I wonder if that's a domestically grown grape or a European one. Grapes originated in Turkey, but now Spain is the biggest grower."

"Sheldon!" she called. He finally stopped and looked up at her. "I'm willing to try anything you can find, but sometimes science can't change anything."

"Of course it can." He replied. "You're in a good age bracket for fertility, and neither of us smoke, we aren't frequently exposed to chemicals—" He stopped and considered something for a fraction of a second, then moved on, "Although I am going to have to insist Leonard and Wolowitz shower before they come here, if they've been experimenting. There's no knowing what they've been exposed to—"

"Honey, those are risk factors, but often enough there are no symptoms or foreseeable risk before a woman miscarriages. Everything you've said is true, and I think Wolowitz should be decontaminated before he comes here anyway, but there's nothing you can do if it isn't meant to be. You have to accept the mystery here, darling."

Sheldon stared at her for a moment, running through everything he'd just read and what his wife had told him. "So we'll just need to be careful."

"Precisely," she smiled. "And, knock on wood, if the worst should happen, we'll just try again."

"I don't see what knocking on wood has to do with anything." He grumbled.

"You know it's an expression, now give your pregnant wife a hug." Layla moved the laptop to the coffee table and leaned in, wrapping her arms around Sheldon's neck. "Just think, now you have to find us an obstetrician. You can personally vet a whole other doctor for our baby."

"That's true!" Sheldon replied, tightening his hold on her marginally. "So should we call Meemaw? Or would you rather wait? Oh, and we have to tell the others!"

"Actually, Penny already knows," Layla blushed as she pulled away. "I had her go get the test for me."

"Why?" he asked, but before she could answer, Layla was headed for the bathroom again. "Oh, that's why."

**Week Ten**

It was Thai food night, and the smell of the duck drove Layla into the bathroom yet again. Leonard had been working nights the week before, Penny had been covering a night shift, and Howard and Bernadette were now planning their wedding in earnest. Because they hadn't gotten together very often, no one had noticed Layla's increasing sickness.

"What's up with Layla?" Raj asked, taking another sip of his beer.

"Well, actually I'm glad you asked," Sheldon said in his 'lecture voice'. "We'd actually hoped to make an announcement tonight. Penny don't ruin it." He said, turning to the blonde who just pouted in response.

"Okay, I'm here, now you can tell them." Layla said, coming into the kitchen for water and vitamin D. Sheldon had been speed-reading just about every resource for morning sickness he could get his hands on, and had procured an appointment with the foremost OB/GYN in Pasadena.

"Tell us what?" Bernadette asked.

"Layla's pregnant!" Penny squealed, bouncing up and down on the sofa so violently that Sheldon, Howard and Bernadette were jostled. Sheldon glared until she stopped, then helped Layla sit down beside him.

"You're pregnant!" Leonard's eyes were wide behind his glasses.

"Holy crap." Raj said solemnly, and everyone else nodded.

"I can't believe SHELDON COOPER is going to have to change diapers." Leonard shook his head.

"That's gonna be the cleanest kid not in a plastic bubble." Howard joked.

"How are you feeling?" Bernadette asked Layla, laying one hand on her forearm. "Isn't it a little early for morning sickness?"

"Morning? It's six PM." Leonard observed from the chair.

"Oh no, apparently this is the peak time," Layla groaned as Sheldon handed her the salmon and basmati rice.

"The literature said that at least two helpings of fish or fish oils a week will help the development of the baby's nerves and brain, and contributes to a healthy birth weight." He scolded more gently than any of them had ever heard.

"Then why can't we just get fish oil so I don't have to _eat_ it?" Layla whined in a very Sheldon-like manner.

"We could, but then you would lose even more weight than you already have," he replied.

"You've been losing weight?" Penny leaned over Howard to look more critically at her friend. She'd been looking pale and pasty for the last few months, but her cheeks did appear to be thinner than they had been the last time she saw her.

"Four pounds it's hardly anything to go all… well, Sheldon over." Layla raised a brow. "Besides, we've got an appointment with Dr Eisenberg the day after tomorrow, and we can find out what's going on then."

"Dr Eisenberg? From CALTECH Medical?" Leonard asked. "I didn't think she had a practice."

"She runs a state of the art clinic in addition to running the medical school's undergraduate program." Sheldon supplied. "I found out that Leslie Winkle is a friend of hers and asked her to call Dr Eisenberg, or 'Shelly' as she calls her, as a favour to me."

"And Leslie Winkle just… did this for you." Howard concluded, clearly not believing his ears.

"Leslie likes me," Layla smiled conspiratorially. "Kripke beat her out of a grant underhandedly about two years ago, so she enlisted my help to get back at him."

"We never heard anything about that." Raj said.

"No, Kripke practically begged us not to spread the word." Layla shrugged. "I invited him to one of my father's poker games with the greats of physics, then I got my sister Diana cozy up to him out on the patio. She, with the help of our old friend tequila, got him naked and then we locked him out and turned on all the outside lights. My mother was scandalised, of course."

"I thought Edward Witten's wife was going to urinate on herself." Sheldon added with a smirk. "I took photos of him in all his nudity, or course."

"And Leslie told him she'd send the photos and the video I took on my iPhone to the president of the university if he didn't confess to cheating."

"Needless to say, his confession was submitted in writing the next morning," Sheldon concluded.

"THAT's how Leslie got the money to fund her research on quarks!" Howard slapped his forehead with his palm. "Why didn't you tell us about finally getting one over on Kripke?"

"It was part of the deal with Leslie," Sheldon shrugged. "But the knowledge he'd never try to one-up me again, or hit on Layla was satisfying enough. So Leslie owed me."

"And you cashed in to get yourself a good baby doctor? Dude, you could have used that for so many other things." Raj despaired.

"Oh don't worry; she still owes me, and my father." Layla said, letting out a little evil laugh which ended with her bolting down the hallway again.

**Ten Weeks**

Once their friends knew, it was only fair that they call Texas; Layla wanted Meemaw and Mary to know first, because she knew how much it would mean to them.

"Oh hi Shelly, honey," Layla heard Mary say when Sheldon put her on speakerphone. "Your Meemaw's over for tea, let me put this darn thing on the speaker." After a few moments of shuffling and Sheldon calling directions into the phone, Mary spoke again, sounding marginally farther away. "Alright honey."

"How's my moon-pie?" Meemaw asked with obvious warmth in her voice.

"I'm fine, Meemaw," Sheldon replied.

"And that pretty wife of yours?"

"Hi Mrs Cooper, I'm doing alright." Layla said from her place beside Sheldon.

"Honey how many times am I gonna have to ask you to call me Meemaw?"

"Maybe one more." They had this conversation every time, and it became a kind of running joke; but Layla believed that Meemaw was special, and that only Sheldon and their babies should call her that.

Meemaw giggled. "No great grandbabies yet?" She asked that every time they called too.

"Actually," Sheldon never got the rest of his sentence out, because they heard Mary squeal excitedly and Meemaw cry, 'Hallelujah!'

"Are you calling to tell us you two are gonna be parents?" Mary asked.

"We're going to our first OB/GYN appointment this afternoon," Layla smiled at their obvious joy. Her mother loved her grandchildren, you could tell when she had them all together, but it was a quieter kind of love.

"How're you feeling darlin'?" Meemaw asked.

"Wretched." Layla laughed tiredly.

"Means you're having a girl." She replied sagely. "Girls are taking all the good things from their mamas, so you'll feel awful most of the time. It'll be worth it when you see how beautiful she is."

Sheldon rolled his eyes but didn't comment. Layla just laughed. "Well, we'll call again in a week or so, you start thinking of names for that little girl alright?"

"Oh, honey, we've been thinking of names since I got on the plane to come save you and Shelly almost five years ago now after you two broke up."

"Well that's… that's weird, Mom." Sheldon replied. "Love you."

"Love you too!" the Cooper women chorused as they hung up.

**SLSLSLSLSLSLSL**

"Have you been experiencing morning sickness, Mrs Cooper?" Dr Sheila Eisenberg asked as Layla lay back in a paper gown for her ten week ultrasound.

"I've been experiencing nothing _but_ morning sickness." Layla replied.

"She's lost four pounds, but I've been keeping her hydrated, and she's been taking daily doses of vitamin D and folic acid." Sheldon supplied, watching everything the OB did closely and with ever so slight suspicion.

"I'm surprised you need me," Dr Eisenberg joked, looking up at Layla.

"He's a physicist, and a genius—just because he _can_ know everything doesn't mean he does." She replied with a playful roll of her eyes. "Just ignore him."

"Well, since you say you've lost weight, I want you to be careful. Have you been able to keep anything down?"

"Not really. It started at about five weeks, maybe a few times before." Layla replied.

"Hm. There's a rare condition called hyperemesis gravidarum—literally excessive vomiting in pregnancy—tell me, do you have a history of motion sickness or migraines?"

"Migraines, yes." Layla answered uneasily.

"Hm. Well, we'll have to keep you hydrated, and I'm going to give you a pregnancy vitamin supplement to help with calcium, iron and some of the alphabet vitamins you'll need. Keep drinking water and lots of juices with vitamins—orange, apple, tomato even."

"Will it hurt the baby?" Sheldon asked.

Dr Eisenberg squirted jelly on Layla's stomach as she answered. "No; actually, having pregnancy sickness is a good sign—it means your hormones are reacting to pregnancy. There have actually been studies that show miscarriage is less likely when a woman experiences regular pregnancy sickness. I'm also going to give you a buccal prescription for Diclectin. It's just an antihistamine and vitamin B6, but it might help lessen the vomiting."

"Thank god for that," Layla sighed.

"Now, let's get a look at this little one." She began to sweep the wand slowly over Layla's barely swollen belly, studying the screen. "Right now, at ten weeks, your baby has distinct but webbed fingers and visible nerves. Has the fetus been active?"

"I felt it moving a couple days ago. And quite a bit during the night." She replied.

"Good. Now that's just because it can't distinguish between day and night. That only happens around week forty, when the eyes open. And… there it is! About the size of a tomato now."

Sheldon and Layla looked over to see a tiny little creature with a mostly-formed mouth, nose and ear. The fingers were indeed webbed, but Sheldon could see where they would eventually form.

"Wow." Layla smiled, looking over at Sheldon.

"That's the word I was going to use." He agreed.

**I hope you think I did it justice. I think I'm going to skip ahead to finding out the gender of the baby around 18 weeks. Everything I said about baby size and growth is presumably true, I got it off babycentre(.ca). And Hyperemesis gravidarum is VERY rare, I think the website said about one percent of pregnant women experience it. I just wanted to give some drawbacks to the situation. As Leonard would say, they "can't catch a break!" Please review, thanks so much for sticking with this story!**


	9. Naming and Nurseries

**Authors Notes: Thanks for your reviews and PMs about your thoughts on the story! Also, I have an LJ account (CJM007) and I'll be posting a cover for the Sheldon/Layla stories, made by the lovely and talented Jislane, who said she'd make it for me I'll post it on my journal.**

**Disclaimer: Belongs to Chuck Lorre and his EXCELLENT vanity cards. Seriously, at the end of every episode—if you've got the BBT on DVD, pause at the end of the credits and read them.**

**Eighteen Weeks**

Layla was sitting in bed listening to Sheldon in the bathroom next door brush his teeth. She'd stopped vomiting quite so much, _finally_, though she apparently wasn't so much fun to be around at about eleven in the morning. She was also starting to show a bit, which totally freaked the boys out. It was like if they couldn't see the baby, then it wasn't there. But, as Sheldon reminded her almost daily, 'according to the literature' their baby was now about the size of a grapefruit. First a grape, then a tomato, now a grapefruit.

"Are you thinking about string theory?" Sheldon asked as he walked into the bedroom.

Layla started at being pulled out of her reverie. "What? No, why?"

"You look like I do when I'm thinking about string theory." He commented. "What are you thinking about?" It was one of his rare moments of perceptiveness, where he could tell something was 'up' with her.

"The ultrasound," she replied as he hung up his robe and sat on the bed to remove his slippers. "We'll be able to find out the sex of the baby."

"Depending on the ultrasound skill of Dr Eisenberg and her staff." He replied. "I've read it can be difficult to tell if the baby is lying in certain positions."

"Hm. Well, it's not like I can tell which way he or she is sitting in there," she rubbed absent-mindedly along her bump. "You do want to find out the gender, right?"

"Of course!" Sheldon said, settling against the headboard next to her. "How else will we know what colour to paint the nursery?"

Layla laughed. "We could just paint it a gender-neutral colour. Or TARDIS blue."

"You're teasing."

"Not necessarily. I'm not going to be able to help anyway, so you'll have almost free reign in that department."

"Yes," he nodded in a business like way. "You'll spend the day at Penny's while I get the others to help, so you don't inhale the fumes."

Layla nodded and went back to her marking, and Sheldon picked up the tiny whiteboard and marker that Layla got him as a joke for Christmas and began muttering to himself about duality. They'd worked in silence for almost fifteen minutes when Layla put the paper she was reading back on her knees and let out a little 'oh!'

"What?" Sheldon's Vulcan hearing picked up the sound even though she'd been quiet.

"I think the baby just kicked." She replied, sounding shocked.

"Yes, I read this was the time the foetus might make itself known to us," he nodded. "May I feel?"

"Of course," she smiled the way she did when he said or did something to earn what Leonard called 'brownie points', and reached for his hand. She felt around on her stomach and located where she thought the baby's kick had come from.

"I don't feel anything." He said in child like disappointment.

"Neither do I," Layla replied. Sheldon sighed marginally louder than she did and sat back on his side of the bed. It was when he mentioned the word relativity that she felt it again. "Oh my god," she groaned at the realization.

"What?" Sheldon asked. He didn't look up from his notes, but she knew he was listening.

"I think our child is moving because you're talking to yourself." She replied.

"I'm not talking to myself."

"Honey, I'm sorry to burst your bubble on that, but when you're working, you do. It's cute. And apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks so." She gestured to her belly. "Say something else."

"Like what? How am I supposed to talk to an undeveloped foetus?" Sheldon asked.

"Talk to me then. And I don't know, tell me what you're doing."

So Sheldon started to talk about units of spin with one hand under Layla's on her belly. A few minutes later, they felt the movement again.

"Did you feel that?" Layla asked excitedly.

"Yes; fascinating!" Sheldon bent his head to the side and bent a little closer. "Does it hurt you?"

"No, no, it just feels… weird." She replied, grinning at him. "I'm giving birth to a physicist."

"With your genes and mine, you shouldn't be surprised." Sheldon said proudly.

Layla shook her head. "Are you nervous about finding out the gender?"

"Why would I be?"

"I don't know; sometimes we think we know what we want, and then when it's changed on us, you can miss what you never had. I just don't want you to be disappointed, whatever the sex."

"I won't be," he replied confidently. "I have no preference as to gender; there are female physicists too."

"I know," she laughed. "I can see you with a little girl. You can teach her quantum chromodynamics and I'll read her Proust before bed."

"And Penny will buy her Barbie dolls," Sheldon grumbled.

"Every little girl needs a doll, no matter how smart she is." Layla said resolutely. "Our child may be extraordinarily intelligent when it's born, but he or she will grow up with as many of the normal comforts of childhood as we can give them. And then you can teach them to build a death ray." She allowed with a tiny smile.

**Twenty Weeks**

"How are we feeling, Mrs Cooper?" Dr Eisenberg asked as Layla sat back once again on her table and lifted up her shirt.

"I'm feeling much better," Layla admitted. "That buccal treatment you gave me worked miracles."

"I'm glad. Often it just takes the right combination." The doctor said. "Have you felt the baby move?"

"We've felt he or she kick several times," Sheldon replied, still obviously excited at the prospect. "While I was talking about physics—I think this child may be a prodigy."

"Have you ever assisted in the birth of a prodigy, doctor?" Layla laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Indeed I have not, but I'm game if you are," Dr Eisenberg replied lightly. "Are you interested in knowing the gender of the baby?"

"Definitely." Layla nodded.

"Alright, then let's have a look," she began her sweep with the ultrasound wand. "The baby will be growing lanugo, which is a coating of thick downy hairs, as well as a layer of fat called vernix caseosa. They help its development in the amniotic fluid and will help with the birth, when the time comes."

"Do we see that on the scan?" Layla asked.

"No, it's difficult to see under this type of resolution, but you'll be able to see more of its face and limbs, since they will have developed more since your last scan." She clicked around for a few more minutes, then stopped. "Aha! Do you see that right there? That's a foot." She moved down and the little toes vanished from view, but a leg emerged. "And the head should be right about…" Dr Eisenberg moved the wand down Layla's bump, "Here. Hello, there." She smiled.

The baby's face had developed noticeably in the time since they'd seen it last; you could see the outline of lips and closed little eyes.

"Oh wow," Layla said, feeling herself mist up marginally. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"It looks like… you're having a girl," Dr Eisenberg smiled, moving the ultrasound wand again. "Yes, definitely a girl."

"Looks like I'll have someone to read Proust to after all," she teased Sheldon.

**SLSLSLSLSLSLSLSL**

When they got home from the doctor's, Penny, Bernadette, and the boys were in their apartment.

"I gave you a key for emergencies, Leonard." Sheldon bristled, waving Penny out of his spot.

"You said you were finding out the sex of the baby today," Leonard defended. "We wanted to celebrate."

"Aw, that's so sweet!" Layla smiled, sitting between Sheldon and Penny on the sofa.

"Did we miss it?" Emily asked, coming into the apartment with Isabelle at a run. Gregory and Henry, carrying Sara, came in after them.

"No you haven't," Layla laughed. She picked both her nieces up and twirled them around.

"Layla, be careful," Sheldon admonished.

"Oh, I'm fine, honey," the pregnant woman smiled, setting the girls down.

"So, do we know what you're having?" Henry asked.

"We do," Layla smiled wider. "We're having a girl!"

Then there was a large round of hugs and handshakes, after which Sheldon went and sterilised thoroughly. Then the girls crowded round Layla and started offering baby names.

"Can it be Sara?" Sara asked.

"No, sweetie, that's your name," Layla smiled and kissed the little girl's cheek.

"What about Cameron?" Emily suggested. "I wanted to name Sara that but Henry said no."

"So am I!" Sheldon called across the living room from where the boys, plus Henry, were playing James Bond Goldfinger on Nintendo 64.

"Alright, well what about Lois? That was Superman's girlfriend, right?" Penny said.

"And she always needed to be rescued. At some point they should have given her a job where she didn't have to leave the office," Layla replied. "But I like the idea of using a comic book name. Diana was Wonder Woman, so that's a possibility."

"No, then everyone will think you're naming her after the princess," Bernadette shook her head.

"True. Maybe you should use a name from a book you love." Emily said.

"I suppose we'll have to think about it. This is going to be a lot harder than I thought." Layla frowned, rubbing her baby bump thoughtfully.

**Twenty Five Weeks**

So, what's it like?" Layla asked eagerly, coming around Penny's kitchen counter. She'd been cloistered in her blonde friend's apartment all day while the boys and Bernadette painted the nursery. Penny had been whisked away for some unknown reason half an hour before, only to return now looking happy and bright eyed.

"I promised Sheldon I wouldn't tell you," Penny shook her head, looking positively happy about the secrecy. "But you'll love it."

"I'm sure I will, but the suspense is _killing_ me." Layla sat as gracefully as she could on the sofa, given that she felt about as big as a whale. She opened her bottle of water and popped two tablets of vitamin B6, which according to Sheldon and Dr Eisenberg, would help nerve pain from swelling. "Is the painting at least done? I want to see this thing before this baby comes."

"Oh, keep your panties on, it's almost finished. They're all going to come over here for dinner once they're through. What are you in the mood for?"

"Is Sheldon foregoing the usual Friday night fare?" the brunette asked suspiciously.

"He said that since we haven't had an 'Anything Can Happen Thursday' in a while, that he could be persuaded to be lenient in his schedule this once, if you were craving something." Penny expelled this explanation as though it came straight from her husband's mouth, and she laughed.

"Okay, well… the baby is communicating Pad Thai, thanks very much." Layla winked, and Penny giggled. Over the past dozen or so weeks, the girls had been operating under the inside joke of 'the baby made me eat it.'

Layla shifted uncomfortably on the sofa a few times and pushed at her belly. "Everything okay?" Penny asked.

"Yeah, she's got hiccups." Layla groaned, looking like she was trying to push her belly over to her left side. "Apparently it's normal."

"Can I feel?"

"Of course," Layla placed Penny's hand on her belly and then tapped the other side. Baby Girl Cooper, as they'd taken to calling her, kicked and then let out an almighty hiccup, which moved her entire body through her amniotic fluid.

"Awe! I know it makes you uncomfortable, but she just hiccupped so hard she moved!" Penny squealed.

"I know, she does it every day." Layla laughed. "She actually turned over the day before yesterday."

"So, Sheldon was telling Bernadette a story about how the little babe kicks when he talks about physics."

"Yes, he's far too pleased about that; the other day when he and Leonard were discussing the hadron collider, she kicked me so hard I had to pee twice."

Penny laughed and reached for the remote. "So, what do you think? _Dirty Dancing_ or _RENT_?"

**SLSLSLSLSLS**

Sheldon, Bernadette and the boys took one look around at their handiwork and turned on the portable fans to help the paint dry.

"That went rather well," Sheldon nodded in satisfaction. "I thank you for your assistance."

"Did _Sheldon_ just…thank us?" Howard asked.

Raj nodded in amazement.

"Yes, well," Sheldon's ears turned a little pink under his friends' stares. "Layla suggested I start practicing my parenting skills, which include my ability to encourage."

"I think that's sweet, Sheldon," Bernadette said, giving him a bright smile. "And after I saw the effort you put into that nursery, I think you'll do just fine."

"Thank you, Bernadette."

The five of them went over to Penny's to find the two girls singing along to 'Do You Love Me?' by the Contours, which meant they were about a third of the way through _Dirty Dancing_. Penny was bouncing on the spot while she dug around in the freezer, and Layla was singing along absentmindedly while she filled in a crossword puzzle. Sheldon sat down beside his wife and put one arm on the back of the sofa, leaning in to see the crossword clues. "I can't believe you don't know five across."

"Bite me," she replied without looking up. After a second she met his gaze and they exchanged a smirk. "Alright, give it up."

"Crimmins." He replied. "He was Doctor Who in the seventies."

"I am ashamed to say I wasn't a huge fan of the doctor before I met you, so I think that explains my ignorance."

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine. She had hiccups again, but they're gone for the moment."

"Do you have a name for her yet?" Leonard asked as he hopped up onto a stool. "We can't call her 'the baby' forever."

"No, not definitively, but I wanted to run a name by you." Layla bit her lip and looked nervously over at her husband. "It was a crossword clue."

"Oh, no, we're going to end up with a child named after a country aren't we?" Sheldon whined.

"What, like Jordan? No. I was thinking of… Marianne."

"Awe," Bernadette and Penny sighed in unison.

Raj took a sip of his beer and nodded. "I like it."

"Thank you, Raj." Layla grinned. "What do you think?" she asked Sheldon.

"I like it." He nodded. "Marianne Cooper."

"What clue was it in the crossword?" Bernadette asked.

"Elinor Dashwood's sister," Layla replied. "From _Sense and Sensibility_."

"I actually had thought of a name also," Sheldon admitted. "When Emily suggested naming the baby after a character, I thought maybe of Iris."

"Iris?" Layla asked.

"Barry Allen's wife." Raj supplied. "The Flash."

"Oh! Well, that makes sense. And I like Iris. Why can't that be her middle name?" Layla asked.

"It could be."

"Wonderful."

Sheldon looked mildly pleased for a moment before he leaned around her to see Penny. "Where's dinner?"

**SLSLSLSLSL**

"Is it ready?" Layla asked impatiently.

"Yes, come on," Sheldon nodded, taking her hand to help her up from the sofa. The two of them and their friends squished down the hall toward the nursery. Layla opened the door and her breath was taken away.

The nursery was light green with baby blue trim; along one wall on floor to ceiling shelves, half of which were filled with Sheldon's comic book collection. The other half had all the supplies they'd collected for the baby; sheets, bottles, and a stuffed Dalek Sheldon had found in the comic book store.

Their crib was in the middle of the room, below the light-up mobile of the solar system 'Uncle Howard' got them. On the far wall between the two windows was the chest of drawers with the changing station on top. Layla walked across the room to look at the framed photos hung on the wall.

One was of her and Sheldon, talking quietly with their heads close together at their wedding dinner. Beside that was a photo of the four guys and Penny dressed up as superheroes for Halloween. Below that was a candid shot Henry must have taken of the seven of them when they told everyone they were having a girl; Layla was hugging the girls tightly, and Raj was squeezing her shoulder. Leonard was slapping Sheldon on the back, and Howard was shaking his hand. They all looked so happy.

But it was the last photo that made her tear up a bit; it was of her, Sheldon, and Meemaw at her birthday the year before. She didn't even really remember anyone taking their photo, but Sheldon had a huge smile on his face and Layla was holding Meemaw's hand. It was when she turned back to the group that she saw what took them so long two days before:

The fourth wall of the room was left white, and everyone had painted something on it. A full-sized TARDIS was in one corner, with a colourful kite fluttering above it on an imaginary breeze. Layla pointed to it and looked at Raj with a raised eyebrow. He nodded bashfully.

Beside the kite was a whole chain of colourful penny blossoms, and below that was a series of equations written in tiny precise script. That would have been Sheldon. Beneath that was a tall painting of a rudimentary rocket ship, and then along the wall from floor to ceiling was a series of superhero decals. Layla looked at Bernadette.

"I can't paint," she giggled. There was loads of room for more, as Marianne grew and discovered new things.

"It's wonderful." She smiled mistily, embracing all of them. "Thank you. She's the luckiest little girl in the world."

"Do you really like it?" Sheldon asked as the others went back to order pizza. Layla looked up at her sweet, socially inept husband and kissed him.

"You, Sheldon Cooper, will be a wonderful father."

**So, that's the naming and the nursery! I'm thinking one more chapter, finish off on an even ten. Please tell me what you think!**


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